


Let Yourself Be Loved

by Leogun



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Character Study, Cuddles, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Kisses, Love Confessions, M/M, Naegami, Togami Byakuya is Bad at Feelings, Touch-Starved, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:06:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28394352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leogun/pseuds/Leogun
Summary: Makoto Naegi had always been content to love Byakuya Togami from a distance.Until he wasn’t anymore.After Byakuya returns from Towa city Makoto goes to see him. Realising how touch starved Byakuya is the two partake in a soft but passionate exchange of affection that has Byakuya questioningWill he finally allow himself to be loved?Very fluffy, exploring Byakuya’s closed off nature and lack of affection in his life.Leoguns Naegami week day 1/7
Relationships: Naegi Makoto/Togami Byakuya
Comments: 6
Kudos: 128





	Let Yourself Be Loved

**Author's Note:**

> This years naegami week is officially started! Even though it will technically finish next year 👀
> 
> First story prompt of the week is the age old story of Byakuya’s lifelong lack of physical affection and Makoto shows him what it’s like to be loved 💕 this one is pure fluff and cuteness I hope you enjoy it! 
> 
> Day 1/7

Makoto Naegi had always been content to love Byakuya Togami quietly.

His crush or admiration for the other boy had always been somewhere there in the background but there were more important matters to focus on. He doesn’t have time to dwell on it and even if he did, he highly doubted the other boy felt the same. 

So Makoto has always been content with the moments they spent together. When he was in Byakuya’s presence he would smile more, Feel more excitement in the pit of his stomach. Byakuya was kinder to him that others, more so in private. He felt like he actually knew him, albeit from a distance. It was a wonderful feeling of contentment and that was enough for him.

Yes Makoto had always been content to love Byakuya from a distance.

Until he wasn’t anymore.

It was probably something to do with Byakuya’s kidnap and imprisonment. The fact that he had to sit and wait for information not knowing when he awoke each day if Byakuya was alive or dead. The way his heart hurt and he refused to even think of the possibility of Byakuya not being alive. He couldn’t entertain the notion, he had to be okay.. he just had to be.

So when Byakuya returned the joy Makoto felt was immeasurable. There was so much he wanted to say but just couldn’t find the words for, he would run through it in his head over and over again trying to get it right. Imagining what he would say.. what Byakuya would do. He couldn’t know for sure but he ran it through in his head over and over and over... 

After Byakuya had completed a medical exam and was finally discharged Makoto wanted to see him. Even if he didn’t tell him how he felt, he wanted to see him, talk to him. Check that he was really okay. 

Nervously he tapped on Byakuya’s door and all of his worries immediately vanished when the progeny answers his call. He’s there, he’s real and alive. All 6 ft 1 inches of him standing, looking down at him with the barest hint of a smile on his face and Makoto feels himself positively beaming back.

“It’s good to see you, I’m so glad you’re back”

Byakuya allows him entry to his room where they sit and talk and talk and talk. Or rather Makoto talks and Byakuya replies, he’s missed him, he worried for him. He just wants to be with him.

Byakuya talks of his experience with a guarded air that tells Makoto he’s still processing it. That he’s embarrassed about being captured, being a hostage. Because Byakuya demands perfection and his own high standards have garrotted him in a situation that was beyond his control. 

Makoto wants to comfort him, wants to convince him that he did everything right. That he put his life on the line and he saved Makoto’s sister! He was a hero.

Byakuya looks at him and he looks back. Unblinking blue and green meeting and something passes between them that has Makoto throwing caution to the winds and kissing Byakuya right on the mouth. It’s soft and slow and there was time for Byakuya to pull away but he didn’t. He doesn’t, and now they are kissing and Makoto’s heart is hammering but he doesn’t remember another time where he felt so alive 

They kiss and they kiss, they don’t speak. It’s just gentle exchanges of lips and hands as they hold each other close.

“Wait... what are we doing this?” Byakuya finally pulls back slowly and looks at Makoto with the most endearing expression of confusion. 

“Because it feels good to do it” Makoto offers simply, stoking his cheek and suddenly so much more confident that he understands what this is. What affection is, what love is. 

“But this.. it doesn’t make sense that it feels so good”

“That’s why it feels so good” Makoto says softly, lips skimming Byakuya’s pulse and the other gasps lightly in response “because it’s something you can’t feel anywhere else, it’s raw and honest. It’s your body.. your heart wanting, needing”

“Emotion is irrelevant” Byakuya tries to argue back but the way his fingers dig into Makoto’s waist give him away “acting on impulse makes us no better than animals. What good is affection, what’s the point in this? It’s not going to lead us anywhere”

“It can.. if you’re open to it” Makoto’s lips caress the shell of his ear and he whispers into said ear in a low, soft tone “this could lead us anywhere we want it to Byakuya.. a relationship?... we could make each other happy.. I could love you.. Byakuya”

“Love... doesn’t exist. It’s a concept fabricated by people to make them believe they have found happiness when they meet someone. An explanation for boredom and dissatisfaction with life.. I don’t need those lies.. my life has purpose” 

Byakuya is speaking the words of a man with no heart and yet his body betrays his hesitance. His head casts back and blonde brushes flyway across his forehead as Makoto kisses his neck, a hand trails under Makoto’s shirt hem and his fingers trail fire over his sensitive flesh. 

“If you don’t believe... and if you don’t need me.. then we should stop” Makoto says softly “I won’t tell you how you should feel, only you know that. But I think you like feeling this way Byakuya, I think you like being held” the hand of Makoto’s that rests on the back of his neck strokes his hair gently and Byakuya hums contentedly “I think you like being kissed” he slowly draws back in and when there’s no resistance he kisses him on the mouth once again, lips moving together slowly and tongues entwining once more into a lazy make out session that robs Makoto of most of his ability to think straight.

“I think you feel good and you don’t understand why... but should that matter if we’re happy?” Makoto strokes his cheek softly as his lips flutter down his jaw “you may not need love.. but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it... can’t have it”

“But why.. are humans programmed to feel this way.. to enjoy it... it doesn’t make sense. It’s highly illogical”

“It’s what makes us feel safe, gives us strength and how we learn about each other. Isn’t is freeing to just.. feel? And act on it? There’s no consequence to love, it’s freedom to just feel it”

“And you really believe that you feel that way about me?”

“Yes, you.. you’re so special to me” Makoto’s hands go to cup his face tenderly as he stares into those bright blue eyes he used to only see malice in. Now he sees so much more, confusion, excitement, intrigue, embarrassment and need. He’s beautiful, he always has been but now it radiates from within. The selflessness that has grown up into his heart, that made him go to save the captives, that kept him in prison away from them all “I missed you more than I can describe, I trust you, I care for you... no matter what you say Byakuya. I will always feel this way”

Byakuya’s cheeks are slightly pink against his usual complexion. His lips part and he says softly “truly, you are happy now? Here with me? You could hold affection for someone like me? Someone cruel and cold with ice water in their veins?”

“You aren’t that person, maybe you used to be. But you’ve grown. You’re complicated and have so many facets to you that never stop growing as we learn and change.. you have so much about you I love. So be here with me Byakuya? Be here in this moment.. feel the love I have for you... take a moment for you and just let yourself be loved”

Byakuya seems to have been robbed of his voice, his eyes closed and his head tipped back as content sigh leaves his slender throat which Makoto kisses every inch of, fingers working to undo the tie always perfectly knotted despite the severity of his situation. The armour of perfection that makes him feed secure. Makoto strips it away quickly and undoes the top buttons of his shirt to allow him to *breathe* for once. Byakuya says nothing just watches him with a curious expression on his face and when Makoto kisses him gently once more his arms constrict around him as though he missed the contact. 

Maybe he needs to just not think right now. Byakuya is a meticulous planner, his mind always working and probing. Searching for answers, trying to understand more. But this isn’t something that makes sense with rational logic. Love and affection are wordless, emotion doesn’t work in words, only felt. And so maybe Byakuya is surrendering himself to those feelings, to experience for himself for once. No more the closed off perfect corporate heir but a living, breathing person in need of affection. Who wants to touch, to feel, to be heard and felt. He’s touch starved, robbed of affection and Makoto wants to give it to him.

His fingers dip down and work open the tight top button of his shirt, his shirts always constricted high up his throat like armour. Up until now it was hard to believe Byakuya was made of flesh and bones when all anyone had ever seen were his face and hands. The rest hidden way to preserve his vision of unattainability, never to be seen. The top three buttons are undone now and Makoto has to stop himself from saying something stupid because god damn a sliver of flesh has never looked better. 

Byakuya’s eyes are watching him again, curious and searching as Makoto looks upon him. The buttons undone and tie open have completely changed Byakuya’s appearance, for the first time ever maybe he looks approachable, he looks casual, he looks handsome and not just on the surface. There’s a softness in his expression and curious uncertainty, his eyes aren’t sharp and scornful, he’s not smiling but he’s no smirking either and that makes him a million times softer to Makoto. 

He just looks like a teenage boy having his first kiss and that’s exactly what he is in truth. He and Byakuya are both nineteen years old and it’s the first time either of them have been able to be like this with someone. 

Makoto himself was never a stickler for formal wear out of work hours anyway so his blazer and tie are long gone. His shirt sleeves rolled up and top button undone. On him it looks casual and probably cute but the same look on Byakuya is probably the sexiest thing ever invented.

Makoto kisses him again, soft and sweet, letting his fingers comb Byakuya’s silky blonde hair. His perch upon Byakuya’s lap is the most comfortable he’s ever been with the other boy, although it may look suggestive to an outsider to him it’s a soft embrace, it’s trust and affection and Byakuya’s fingers stroke tentative at his waist as he allows Makoto to guide him. 

It’s hard not to just ravage the other boys mouth, choke on his tongue and deprive himself of air just fo be consumed in wet passion but patience, patience is key. He doesn’t want to ruin this moment, this slow build up of trust. Besides he’s not exactly done this before, his stomach flutters and his heart thumps hard in his chest. It’s nerve wracking but he wants it, that passion, that excitement.. he needs to just take his time. Don’t push Byakuya too fast at once, he needs to be sure this is what he wants and Makoto won’t forgive himself if he just sticks his tongue down Byakuya’s throat with no finesse. He deserves more, they both deserve more.

Instead he draws his fingers back skimming his partners jaw and slowly running his hands along his shoulder, pulling his collar open to reveal that expanse of skin and running his hands down it as Byakuya sighs under his lips. He gently breaks the kiss and concentrates on his movements, slowly stroking along his collarbones and chest, up over his shoulders and neck. Byakuya softly sighs again and cocks his head to meet Makoto’s hand, letting it cradle him and as Makoto’s hand moves back down his small sighs and puffs of air are heavenly. 

Byakuya cannot hide that he’s loving this contact, that his body wants more of it and not in an untoward way. He’s been so affection starved his entire life, touch deprived and alone. The first gentle touch of someone else seems to have melted him and his warm skin burns for Makoto’s fingers to stroke and caress. He leans down and presses some gentle kisses to Byakuya’s sternum and the other boy sighs audibly, tension seeming to leave him as he visibly relaxes now. His body going loose and limber under Makoto showing how tense he was when this started and it gives him thought to pause and look up at those now lidded blues and ask quietly 

“It’s this okay?”

“Yes” Byakuya’s voice is breathy but his response is firm “it feels good... it’s so warm..”

Makoto’s fingers must feel like fire to his touch deprived flesh and so he watches Byakuya’s face as he slowly undoes the rest of the buttons on his white future foundation uniform shirt and draws his hands down over his torso and stopping at his waist. The noise Byakuya makes is heavenly and Makoto’s toes curl, god how he wants to make him utter those noises again and again. 

“Why does that feel.. so good?” Byakuya mutters, for a moment looking annoyed and Makoto kisses him again to distract his overthinking brain. Letting his hands run over his stomach and waist gently

“Because you’ve never been touched” he whispers against his lips “because your body has never known this before and now it’s awakened to how nice it is to have someone love it”

“Then I should never have allowed you to touch me” he mutters “perhaps you’ve ruined me, making me want something so much”

“Maybe I have” their eyes bore into each other but it’s a more sensual exchange now. Watching, anticipating, yearning for more. He wants to memorise that look on Byakuya’s face because that’s the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen “but if I have then.. I want to take responsibility. To keep giving it that touch and love so it doesn’t go without again” 

“You keep saying love, do you really believe that. That love exists?”

“I know it does, how can I not when I can feel it under my own touch and see it with my own eyes?” His hands rise up and he can feel Byakuya’s heart beating so fast under his palm “my heart beating like crazy isn’t a trick, It’s my body responding to how I feel. Nothing else but love could make me want to be this way, want to hold someone like this, make them feel happy, kiss them... be kissed in return. I feel it in my blood, I feel it throughout all of me Byakuya. This is love, at least from me. It may not be a lot in the scheme of life but... if it’s all I can give you then it’s honest and it’s true”

“You’re nothing if not honest” Byakuya responded quietly “and if that is the case then my feelings are honest too because that is exactly what I feel right now.. and it frustrates me endlessly that I don’t understand it, that I can’t control it! I was the master of everything about myself and yet... you always find a way to challenge me and perhaps burying human desire isn’t.. the best way to approach life” 

“So are you going to let yourself be loved? Will you let me.. show you?”

“Yes.. but let’s be clear.. this is only because it’s you.. nobody else”

“Nobody else” Makoto repeats with a nod of affirmation. Because he understands that Byakuya is both telling him the truth and giving him an order, he’s not to do this with anyone else. This is exclusive to them, and Makoto has to feel proud that perhaps Byakuya is starting to understand how loving relationships are formed. But he doesn’t dwell on it too long because Byakuya’s very small smile at his response is radiant to him.

That and the fact that Byakuya leans in takes hold of his collar with hands and pulls him into another kiss blanks his mind immediately.

The pair kiss and kiss and Makoto is on cloud nine as Byakuya cups his jaw and stroked his cheek with careful fingers. Tenderness in every one of his actions as they hold each other. The kisses are firm but slow, tongues moving gently and soft noises escaping their throats as they have an intimate and loving moment together. He can feel it, Byakuya’s love... the capacity for affection that’s always been buried so deep. He’s showing it to Makoto now with gentle caresses and tender kisses as they hold each other on Byakuay’s dorm bed.

They pause for breath, wet lips and lidded eyes locked together exchanging love and Byakuya’s fingers move to Makoto’s shirt buttons and start to undo them. Its so intimate have someone else undress you and Makoto’s breath hitches as Byakuya’s fingers trail his skin as all the shirt buttons are undone and the pair sit there just looking at each other for a moment.

Makoto can’t help but feel a little self conscious, his body is… average to put it plainly and Byakuya’s is toned… beautiful..

Byakuya is quiet, simply looking over Makoto as a hand draws down Makoto’s shoulder, his chest and stomach and Makoto sighs at the warmth it spreads throughout him.

Byakuya then carefully pulls the fabric of his shirt so that it hangs open fully exposing as much skin as possible before he draws Makoto tightly into his arms. Both boys gasp as their bare skin makes full contact and its so warm, its like fire has shot directly into his flesh and through his veins. The contact is searing, the exchange in body warmth is so intimate and loving they both sink into it, nothing but silence in the room and the sound of his heart beating so loudly in his chest This moment.. he wants to capture it and save it forever, he’s sure that this is something he will never forget.

“This is….wow” Byakuya exhales quietly, his face buried into Makoto’s neck and his breath tickles his ear “How can something so simple… make me so breathless?”

“Because its intimate… it’s warm and… this moment is fleeting, it will only ever exist here.. right now between us. 

“Your skin…” Byakuya sighs into his neck and Makoto feels weak. He and Byakuya are holding each other, bare skin pressed together and nothing has ever been more comforting, exciting… 

Makoto raised his head from where he had snuggled into Byakuya’s shoulder and draws the heirs face gently up to meet his glance again and the pair kiss once more gently.

“This is what togetherness is” Makoto whispers “This is affection and trust.. I trust you Byakuya, I have so much adoration for you, these feelings are real I promise you”

“This… This is what it would be like…”

“What would be like Byakuya?” Makoto asked gently stroking his cheek and keeping contact with his deep blue eyes, never looking away. They are connected, he needs Byakuya to know, this is real, this is happening.

“To be… in a relationship.. to have intimacy with someone”

“That’s right… it could be like this everyday…you’d never have to go a single day without feeling love, without having this contact”  
Byakuya runs his fingers through Makoto’s hair, he still looks contemplative, confused at this whole exchange but Makoto reminds himself that Byakuya has never had any kind of physical touch before. This is a huge moment for him, and it’s a huge moment for what will become of them.

“To love is to be vulnerable”

“It is, only when you’re open and vulnerable can you let it in”

“Such a thing is unheard of in my world and yet... I’ve allowed myself to indulge..”

“Love isn’t an indulgence darling… love is natural and you deserve it. Everyone deserves to be loved its not a luxury… it just… is”

“To be in this relationship” Byakuya rephrases “If we are.. together.. you will be careful with my heart? You will be patient with my ignorance? You will love me even when I am unlovable?”

“I will… Thats what love is. Not blind acceptance but patience, tolerance… understanding, We would be a team always Byakuya. I would trust you with my heart if you trust me with yours”

That seems to give him something to think about and he nods, contemplation on his features as he draws Makoto in for another kiss, this one more passionate as they run hands in each others hair and low sounds escape their throats as they kiss deeply and without pause. Makoto is in bliss, this is perfection, being this close with Byakuya whom he had missed so much. He wants to do this with him everyday, kiss him and stroke his beautiful face and tell him how much he loves him. He wants to be at his side, support him, be his confidant and his lover. He knows Byakuya wants the same he can feel it in his heart, and in Byakuya’s touch, in the way he looks at him, the way he kisses him.

“And if I’m not ready?” He asks softly as they break apart breathless and wet mouthed

“Then we stop” Makoto nods “I don’t want to force you, you need to be ready… you need to want to be with me”

“So if I’m not ready for a relationship then we stop?”

“Thats right, I promise”

Contrary to his statement a frown crosses Byakuya’s face.

“Thats… hmmm”

“What is it?” Makoto presses a gentle kiss to Byakuya’s neck and he sighs, its such a wonderful noise he wants to hear it more. It’s filled with longing and satisfaction. So he kisses him again, and again all over his neck, letting his lips linger over his flawless skin and worships it all with his lips

“Mmm… ahh…” Byakuya is sighing and groaning as his head lulls back giving Makoto more room to kiss him and he makes a low sound of disappointment when Makoto stops

“You were going to say something before”

“Well I… that is to say I dont… want to stop this… what we’re doing. I want to be… like this with you.. it’s just.. a large jump for me to be in a relationship. That label has always been out of bounds to me”

“Byakuya…we dont have to put a label on this yet.. I know there’s still a lot for you to learn… for you to understand before you’re ready..”

Byakuya looks marginally annoyed with his words and shakes his head

“Theres nothing I need to learn to understand Makoto, I know what this is, this physical affection is romantic in nature and partaking in it is accepting my feelings for you and our new relationship”

Makoto can’t help but smile

“So you do have feelings for me?”

“Would I be here if I didn’t?” He answers simply and kisses him slow this time, pulling him as close as possible and their bare skin together feels like home.

“I am ready” his voice is a quiet whisper “I know now I cannot be without you... you have shown me love and compassion... you are my hope Makoto and this is where I want to be...”

“This is where I want to be too.. here with you.. like this. Caring for each other.. making each other feel loved”

“You truly do... love me.. don’t you?”

“I do love you Byakuya” he whispers honestly and with nerves and emotion in his voice “I really do, I’ve never felt this way about anybody and god I don’t know why or when it started but all I know is everyday away from you was hell. I would sit at my desk everyday hoping to god you were okay, waiting, praying for a call. I had my phone with me all the time outside of work in case there was news. I just wanted to hear your voice so bad, even if you were just scolding me! I knew you were still alive I could feel it.. in my heart but still..it wasn’t enough! When I saw you again on the video call it was like my heart was finally healed after being shattered. You were alive and safe and coming home and that was enough for me. Because love is.. not caring if your feelings are rejected... as long as the other person is safe and alive and happy”

Byakuya looks stunned for a moment, taking in Makoto’s words and then he draws him in closer. Kissing his forehead in a move that’s so tender he knows, he knows Byakuya is ready.

“Then perhaps... I love you too. Will you also take some time for yourself... and let me love you in return? I will show you my feelings.. it may take some time to get used to that.. to be better at showing that side of myself but... I will try. If you’ll allow me”

“I will”

Then Byakuya looks at him and his face is a delight, it’s a shy smile of happiness that he has never seen on his face before. It’s so pure and honest and true. He loves him even more in that moment and he can’t help beaming at him with a smile so wide  
It feels like his face will crack. 

No matter what despair brought them each day.

He would never bow to it.

Hope was brighter,  
It was shinier,  
and it was exactly 6 foot 1 inch tall.


End file.
